Misunderstanding
by rwf05
Summary: He never really asked her to prom, it was more of a statement. Ryelsi
1. Chapter 1

Kelsi, was hunched over homework at the drama club lunch table trying to ignore the madness of the cafeteria when Taylor and Chad came up behind her.

"Hey Kels, whats up?" she asked placing a hand on her shoulder, causing the distracted composer to jump. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you"

"Taylor, Chad, uh, hi, I was just trying to get some work done." Kelsi nodded towards her open book "There is just so much I have to get done, I figured it would be a bit quieter up here. Do you realize that Prom is less then two weeks away. "

"Uhhh" Chad moaned, taking a seat while grabbing some of Kelsi's fries "Don't remind me."

Taylor just snickered, "Yes Kelsi, I am aware that it is almost here, in fact I just got my dress over the weekend. What makes you so interested in when the prom is, it was just yesterday that you told us you weren't going to attend. Didn't you have too much work to do, and wasn't it too close to opening night."

"You're right, I have just way to much to do, I don't know what Ryan was thinking, there is just no way I can get all this work done AND go to the prom with him. There is so much that has to be done, I still have songs to transpose, charts to fix, and I still have songs that need lyrics, not to mention all the school work."

"Wait a minute, your talking way to fast, did you say that you and Ryan were going to prom? When did he ask you, why am I just finding out?" Taylor asked sitting down next to Kelsi wanting to get the full scoop.

"Well..." Kelsi hesitated, noticing that all eyes were on her, including Sharpay's. "I wouldn't really call it ask, it was more of a statement, he kinda just informed me that he would pick me up at 8 as we were working on the duet for Troy and Gabriella this morning."

"Not a very romantic invitation" Taylor scowled, as Chad rolled his eyes.

"Romantic?" Kelsi questioned "It isn't as if this is a real date. It's Ryan"

"So what if it's Ryan, why wouldn't it be a real date, your a girl, he's a guy?"

"We're friends, and lets face it, while he is a guy, uh, how to put this, I'm not" she managed to finally get out looking a little flushed.

Kelsi's last words had the previously silent Sharpay, choking on her drink.

"Excuse me?" Sharpay finally managed to blurt out with her eyes wide open with shock.

"What?" Kelsi looked over at Sharpay. "I mean it's no big deal or anything, if he likes guys, I have no problem with that, he's still a great guy and all"

"What in the world would give you the idea that my baby brother is gay"

"Well there are his outfits he has PINK plaid pants that he wears with knee high boots" Taylor piped up

"You have to admit, he does tend to be a bit showy in his gestures and reactions, in the stereo typical kind of way" added Tiara before getting shushed by Sharpay.

"I'll admit, Ryan can be....., a bit over the top at times" Sharpay said with a sigh "That doesn't mean anything, he's a performer, even when he isn't on the stage. As for his clothes, he has good taste, well usually."

"As long as I have known him he hasn't even looked at a female, let alone date one." Kelsi commented, starting to reevaluate everything she thought she knew about Ryan.

"Have you ever seen him look or date a guy"

"Well no... I can't really"

Sharpay cut her off "I know my brother's likes and dislikes, and I can say with absolute authority, that my brother, Ryan Evans, likes girls, in fact that is the reason he started taking dance class, he was the only guy in a class of twenty."

"Genius!" called out Chad, "Why didn't I think of ....... hey what was that for" Taylor gave him a swift elbow to the gut, telling him "If you keep that up, YOU won't have a date for the prom"

"What did you do this time" came a voice that caused all heads to turn towards it

Kelsi jumped up and gathered her papers mumbling something about music and copies refusing to look at the new comer.

"So how come your almost dateless for the prom?" asked Ryan as he watched Kelsi trying to fight her way out the exit."And whats up with Kelsi, she seemed kind of flustered"

"Well I was just telling the table here you were genius" Chad said with a smirk, "Sharpay was telling us why you got into dance"

"I am, aren't I" Ryan grinned "So what was with Kelsi?"

Sharpay locked eyes with her brother before telling him with a smirk, "Did you know that you're gay?"

"What?" he asked with a look of confusion.

"Yes, dear brother, I was just informed that you like guys, but don't worry, its okay that you don't like girls" Sharpay let out between chuckles

Ryan gave a pointed look to his sister "Come on Shar, enough already"

"Gee little brother, is that the thanks I get for setting the record _strait_"

Ryan looked around the table, somewhat annoyed, trying to figure out what exactly was going on, his eyes stopped at Chad trying to hold back his laughter.

Chad held up his hands "Hey, don't look at me man, I was staying out of it. It was the girls"

Taylor glared at Chad as a look of realization washed over Ryan's face. Seeing who was at the table it wasn't hard for Ryan to figure out just who the "girls" were doing the talking. Ryan turned to Taylor hoping to find he had it wrong. "Taylor, why were you discussing my uhh, my preference"

Taylor looked down unable to meet Ryan's eyes "I was commenting how unromantic your prom invite was and uh....ummm"

Chad rolled his eyes "To make a long story short, Kelsi was thought there was no way Prom was a date, kinda date cause she wasn't a guy"

"Unromantic?" Ryan shot up, eyes wide "Unromantic? I invite her after praising her work and singing her lyrics You're on my mind, you're in my heart? And you call it unromantic?"

Taylor gave a smile "Well when you put it that way, it does sound kind of nice. Kelsi didn't quite view it the same way, of course she did think you were gay, so that probably played a part in how she saw it."

"And I thought I had it hard" laughed Chad "You have some major work ahead of you man. And need I point out while you sit here debating if it was romantic or not, your potential date off somewhere confused beyond belief."

"Very good point, I should go see if I can find her. I'll talk to you all later"

"Ryan, one question is the prom going to be a real date?" Taylor asked, trying to read Ryan's expression. Ryan smiled, ignored the question, and went off in search of Kelsi.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Yeah forgot the disclaimer at the beginning of the story, so here it is, Not mine, if it were, Lucas Grabeel would have had a lot more vocals, and the movie would of had less Troy and Gabriella. Disney owns it all.**

**Thanks all who have reviewed my story so far. I promise that I will actually finish this story (I find unfinished stories so unsatisfying, especially those that start of really good). It might take a a few days to a week before I can get chapter 3 up (most likely the final one) as life outside the net does come first. Happy reading!!**

Kelsi walked into the science lab, she had originally thought of going to the music room , but she figured that would be the first place people, well Ryan, would look. Science was her next class, so in her mind it made sense to hide here, less time moving around, the less of a chance she'd have to face him.

"Ugh, I can't believe this is happening. I really said that, in front of Sharpay no less, I'm never going to live this down" Kelsi groaned into her hands thinking back to the lunch table conversation.

"Kelsi?" Gabrielle's voice called out behind her, "Are you okay? How come your in the lab, class doesn't start for another twenty minutes."

"Uh hi, honestly, I'm just trying to hide out for a while, I kinda made a fool of myself at the lunch table, and I really didn't want to stick around for the aftermath." she said as she gave Gabriella a weak smile.

"It couldn't be that bad" Gabriella said as she took a seat near Kelsi "What happened, maybe I can help."

Kelsi was looking at her friend, debating in her head exactly how she should put it. "I... well, I. You know, I'm not sure if I can do this, just trust me when I say it was bad, I said something about someone, that I thought was true, but looks like it may not be true after all, and I said it in front of the wrong person. I left as the person I was talking about showed up. I don't think I'm going to be able to look him in the eye for a while, which kinda sucks"

"I'm sure it will blow over quickly, it is high school after all, stuff happens all the time, it will be forgotten before you know it." Gabriella said placing her hand on Kelsi's shoulder in a reassuring gesture.

"Not this time Gabi. Not only is it embarrassing for me, I can only imagine how he'll feel when he finds out. Not to mention, this is going to change everything. This one little fact shaped a lot of our friendship, at least in my mind. And now this fact isn't and I just don't know how I'm going to handle it. This was my safety net, it made working together so easy."

"So what is it about Ryan you had wrong?" She asked getting a shocked look from Kelsi in reply. "Come on Kelsi, how many other guys do you work with in this school, figuring out the he was Ryan, wasn't exactly rocket science, even Jason could of figured it out. So?"

"Ryan's not..."Kelsi, taking a deep breath, finally got it out. "Ryan's not Gay, there I said it, and of course Sharpay was there while I told Taylor, and to make it worse Ryan showed up just after Sharpay assured us that he wasn't. Who knows what he heard, or what was said after I booked it out of there"

"Ouch" Gabriella said cringing a bit, "I can see why your embarrassed, but its probably not as bad as your making it out to be. Ryan will laugh it off, you're not the first person to think that, and you won't be the last. I have to admit, I was under the same impression until I started working a Lava Springs."

"What happened to changed your mind?"

"I was a lifeguard" Gabriella said laughing with a pointed look.

"Oh" She let out with a small giggle, realizing Gabriella's meaning. "I can't see how I am going to be able to handle the next couple weeks." Kelsi said staring back down to her hands "I'm going to be working closely, everyday after school in the music room, sometimes before school, not to mention rehearsals and in class. I'm seriously going to be seeing Ryan more then my own family. I just can't."

"Come on Kelsi, he isn't going to hold it against you, he's even made a few jokes about it himself."

"Gabi, you don't understand" said Kelsi shaking her head and looking over at Gabriella, hoping that her friend would suddenly develop the power to read her mind. "Though embarrassing, the real problem isn't that I thought he was gay, it's that he ISN'T gay."

"It's still Ryan." Gabrielle said trying to figure exactly what Kelsi was getting at. "What's wrong with him liking girls, your working yourself up over nothing, he's still the same person."

"Ryan." Kelsi said sighing "Amazing, wonderful, talented, funny, single, and _now_ female loving Ryan, who I get to work closely with for the next couple weeks. When he was gay, uhh well gay in mind, I never really thought to consider Ryan in..uhh … certain ways. The moment Sharpay said not gay, it was like these flood gates opened. Do you know how hard it's going to be to concentrate? Sitting side by side on a small piano bench working out the harmonies of some love song I wrote. You've heard him sing, I'm doomed. Ryan was my partner, my friend, someone I could talk and joke with. Now, its almost as if someone took him away and replaced him with this perfect guy. In one short conversation Sharpay pulled my safety net out from under me. It wasn't even an hour ago, and look at me, I'm loosing my grip and falling big time."

"Your crushing on Ryan!" Gabriella said unable to suppress her smile. " You should..."

"Well Judging by the fact you beat me to class" interrupted Taylor's voice "I'm going to guess you've been hiding in here since you ran off" She took her seat next to Gabriella. "Considering class starts in less then five, you're going to be found real soon. Did you fill Gabi in on your prom date? I have to say, his invitation sounded a lot nicer the way he described it"

"Prom date?" Gabriella looked to Kelsi.

"That's kinda how this whole mess started." Kelsi said quietly, trying hard to ignore the fact that Ryan was heading her way.

"Kelsi, there you are, I was looking for you since you left the cafeteria. Think we could talk for a few minutes before rehearsal?" Kelsi nodded not able to find her voice.

"Great! I heard that there was something you needed me to clear up" He said smiling, with a quick wink he turned and headed to his seat.

Kelsi sat there hoping Ryan didn't notice the different shades of pink she was turning. She laid her head down in her arms groaning and trying to ignore the sound of Taylor and Gabriella giggling behind her.


End file.
